Things You Might Not Know About Belize

This article is for you, yes YOU, the person who has heard about Belize but doesn’t exactly know where it is or what it consists of. The small country of Belize is still unknown to many people and for the few individuals who have heard about it, they think it’s a Caribbean island or since they hear it’s in Central America, they assume it’s another Spanish speaking nation – unfortunately you’ve got it all wrong.

Lists make life easy, so to make it short and sweet, here are nine things you might not know about Belize.

We have the friendliest people

If you ask anyone who has visited Belize before, everyone will say one of the main highlight was the genuine hospitality and the friendliness of the people. In short, Belizeans know how to make foreigners feel welcome.

English is the official Language

Belize is a former British colony and through this medium, they have acquired English as its first language. Everywhere you go, you will be able to get by using English.

Most people speak Creole

Even though English is Belize’s official language, most people speak Creole instead. Creole is a dialect and is sometimes described as lazy English. For example, a phrase like ‘What is going on?’ is said “Weh di goan?”

We have many diverse Cultures

Belize has a small population of approximately 330,000 and depending where you are in Belize, you can see various different ethnic groups and hear several different languages all in one place. In short, the people of Belize are very interesting.

Belize uses U.S. Currency

Anywhere you go, you can use U.S. dollars instead of Belizean currency. One reason why this might be done is because the U.S. dollar has always been on a fixed rate of 2:1 with the Belizean Dollar.

Slow-paced life rules

Popularized as being on “Belize time”, Belize offers visitors a contrast to the rat race of developed countries – a stress free and relaxed way of life. The small island of Caye Caulker even has their official slogan as Go Slow.

Fresh food is everywhere

The food in Belize is always exceptional. This is because eating organic fruits and vegetables aren’t a trend, it’s a lifestyle. In Belize, there are farmers’ markets everywhere and it’s common for the Lobster you’re having for dinner to have been caught by the morning fisherman.

There’s more than just the Caribbean Sea

Many people visit Belize only for the Islands and beaches, also to scuba dive the Barrier Reef and the Blue Hole, but there is so much more to do. With over 40 percent of the country’s jungle as protected areas, there are many natural attractions to explore.

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About Lorenzo Gonzalez

Lorenzo Gonzalez is the founder of Belizeadventure.ca, a resource for travel information on Belize. He enjoys traveling, social media and Paranda music. Contact him at lorenzo [at] belizeadventure.ca. Learn more...

14 Responses to Things You Might Not Know About Belize

Well, I did know where it was and I did know it is very pretty only through pictures. What I didn’t know was most of the other facts you stated. I’m definetely planning on visiting Belize now…. I’ll ask you for advice once that day comes. Thanks for the insight Lorenzo

I completely agree especially with point one! One of the reasons I loved Belize so much was because I felt totally welcomed everywhere. I loved that locals were totally willing to sit down and have a beer with me and tell me stories about Belize. It was such a good experience!

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[…] up in Belize City I was exposed to a melting pot of cultures. I had friends who were Creole, Mestizo, Maya, Garifuna, and visited some of their culture’s settlements. But it was not until 2008 when I was accepted to study at Galen University which is located in the […]

[…] centrally located Caribbean haven with wonderful weather and warm, friendly people. (see: Things about Belize). If Belize isn’t on your list of places to retire, now that you’ve learned more about it, […]